Traditional non-stick cookware continues to make debate. PFOA- used in the manufacturing process of traditional PTFE non-stick cookware, food packaging and fabric coatings- linked to Testicular & Kidney Cancers.

16th April 2012: an independent scientific panel (C8 Science Panel), approved by U.S. Government and the DuPont company as part of a settlement in a class action lawsuit, came out with a report that linked the chemical known as C8 or PFOA to Kidney and Testicular cancer in humans.

"Widespread pollution by PFOA should be a wake-up call that our chemical regulation system is severely broken," said Olga V. Naidenko, Ph.D., a senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group. "It is particularly urgent for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop a legal limit for drinking water pollution by PFOA, which is currently unregulated and never should have come to market."

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DuPont, the only current American maker of PFOA, has committed to phase out manufacture, purchase and use of the chemical by 2015. But companies overseas continue to produce and use it.

"In the case of PFOA and other toxic perfluorinated chemicals, only a global phase-out can protect public health and the environment."

A safe alternative for traditional PTFE cookware is already on the international market for 5 years. In 2007 the Belgian company GreenPan™ pioneered and launched Thermolon™ ceramic coated non-stick cookware, the first PTFE-free non-stick cookware available since the introduction of the non-stick technology in 1938. Thermolon™ is a mineral-based non-stick coating that is safe at high temperatures. It is PTFE-free, and uses no PFOA in manufacturing.

http://www.ewg.org/release/chemical-food-packaging-fabric-coatings-linked-cancer
Chemical in Food Packaging, Fabric Coatings Linked to Cancer, April 16, 2012

http://www.c8sciencepanel.org/panel.html

http://www.epa.gov/oppt/pfoa/pubs/faq.html#concerns

22th april 2012

Stefaan Vervisch celebrated his 50th & GreenPan's 5th birthday by winning the Iron Man South Africa (age group 50-54). Still going Strong!

International cookware brand, GreenPan^TM, partnered with social enterprise Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA) to donate a tree for every item sold in South-Africa during the month of August 2010 to be planted through the Trees for All programme.

The first 20 trees were planted at Vuyani Primary School in Gugulethu, Western Cape, late last year. Since then, schools in KwaZulu Natal and in the Western Cape that had applied to FTFA,  have received GreenPan trees.  The tree plantings are a good opportunity to allow school communities to experience planting and caring for trees and to learn of all the many benefits they bring as an essential component for a healthy life and a healthy planet. In time, these trees will also provide shade for the learners to sit under during breaks.

To end off the planting of the trees with a flourish, GreenPan staff will attend the last of their tree planting events in Soweto, at Mangwele Primary School.

Mangwele Primary School has 344 learners and ten educators. They run a feeding scheme for their orphaned and vulnerable children and  requested the trees so that pupils could enhance their environmental knowledge, become aware of climate change and learn about climate change solutions.

"Mangwele Primary School would like to take this new knowledge of greening out into the community to foster a sense of pride in the environment," said Mr A Magau, the Principal. "We are very excited to have the GreenPan staff here to plant the trees with the learners, as this will unite and build their future partnerships in developing the school "

Belgium July 8th  2010 During the summer, many youth attend summer camp. At these summer camps, large groups of young hungry enthusiasts must be fed.

GreenPan decided to donate hundreds of fry pans, which were originally used at fairs, photo shoots and demonstrations, to these summer camps. In this way, useful fry pans receive a second life. The donation became a huge success.

The action was presented on Studio Brussel, one of the biggest radio stations in Belgium. In no time, all giveaways were on their way to serve at summer camp.

On June 8th 2010, Shiwa Corporation Ltd, a distributor of GreenPan in Thailand, organized a new program, The “Buy 1 get 1 Tree” event, at the Bankampu Tropical Gallery in Bangkok. The “Buy 1 get 1 Tree” event was a major success and became one of the biggest GreenPan PR events in Thailand.
 
The event was covered by all leading TV and written Press. Famous Thai celebrities like ‘Nui Sujira Arunpipat’ and ‘Pond-Chaiyapon Leepapan’ were invited to endorse the GreenPan Rio range with some cooking demonstrations.  All Thai can join the ‘Buy 1 get 1 Tree’ program and help contribute to a better environment. Basically, when you buy a GreenPan product, in exchange you receive a small tree for free which you can plant at home or at the office. As our brand keeps growing, the trees do too.

GreenPan is now available in all leading department stores and retailers in Thailand including Central, Siam Paragon, The Mall, Robinson and many others.

More Good design news! In December, 2009, the GreenPan Dubai Range was also awarded the Good Design Award 2009. The awarded designs were displayed at The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design.

Founded by architects Eero Saarinen, Charles and Ray Eames, and Edgar Kaufmann, Jr. in Chicago in 1950, GOOD DESIGN is recognized internationally upon the world's most prominent designers and manufacturers for its new, visionary, innovative product concepts, its inventions, and its originality. Additionally, Good DESIGN is known for and for stretching the envelope beyond ordinary product and consumer design.

In addition to the Design Plus and Good Design Award, the Dubai range also received an honourable mention at the Dutch Design Award...

After the success of ‘Endurance’, ‘Resilience’ and ‘Expert’ coatings; GreenPan™ is launching the newest generation of coatings from Thermolon™.  The Rocks coating is rated as one of the most abrasion resistant coatings in the world*.  It has a dark grey look and is used for the first time on the new food service and professional ranges – the ‘Copenhagen’ and ‘Rotterdam’. Later, it will also be launched on the newest household range – ‘San Francisco’.

*According to independent test results.

In February, 2009, our GreenPan Dubai range was given the Design Plus Award 2009 for its outstanding and particularly innovative design. The Dubai range, designed by Jan Hoekstra, combines stylish design with functionality, fully endorsing the core values of GreenPan. 

The Design Plus award is presented by a distinguished jury in conjunction with the Ambiente international consumer goods trade fair in Frankfurt. This exemplary and trend-setting award is given for a product that exhibits excellent product design.